On the Mountainside, an ancient castle stood atop a craggy peak. Its weathered stone walls spoke of centuries gone by, while the heavy fortifications conveyed a silent power. Dozens of black-clad Assassins patrolled the battlements, their eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced vigilance. Inside the fortress, artisans in black robes labored relentlessly, assembling something of mysterious purpose.
In the depths of the dungeon, the air was thick with the stench of rot and dampness. Water dripped continuously from the corners, and the torches lining the walls could only cast light on the narrow staircase leading up. The rest of the chamber seemed swallowed by an abyss of darkness, as if consumed by a beast that fed on silence itself.
In front of the iron bars of her cell, Bai Mao sat motionless on the stone floor. Her expression remained tranquil, as though she were in a temple of quiet solitude, undisturbed by the grim surroundings. The passage of eons meant nothing to her; the harshness of her environment failed to disrupt her calm thoughts.
The creaking of a heavy wooden door broke the silence. A gust of cold wind snuffed out the flickering torches, and a long shadow stretched across the stone steps.
The figure moved slowly, like a serpent of darkness—silent, but full of malevolent intent. Light illuminated his legs, but darkness consumed his face.
Ebisyn gazed at Bai Mao, her stillness unnerving him. He rasped through his dry throat, "Our raid has failed. The Knights are already on their way. We need your power now."
Bai Mao did not react, as if a mere insect had passed before her.
"So many of our people died just seven days ago at the hands of those white demons, and you still sit here, doing nothing!" Ebisyn's voice cracked with barely contained rage.
"It was you who dragged them into hell. My 'leader.'" The words echoed in the cold stone chamber, carrying with them an undeniable sarcasm. The air seemed to grow heavier, charged with unspoken disdain.
Ebisyn slammed his fist against the bars with a force that shook the ceiling, dust raining down, but Bai Mao remained unmoved.
"Abel is dead!" Ebisyn's voice was a twisted, mocking cry. "Don't you want to avenge him?" His smile was crazed, designed to pierce through whatever facade of calm she held.
Bai Mao finally opened her eyes. Even in the darkness, her gaze burned like twin stars, fierce and filled with righteous fury. In a single, fluid motion, she sprang to her feet. The sudden gust of wind from her swift movement couldn't match her speed. Her hand shot out, and with the precision of a predator, her fingers locked around Ebisyn's throat like a hawk seizing its prey.
"You wretch!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't think for one second that I don't know what you've been doing all these years. I've tolerated you because you're one of the few of our kind left—but this! To incite my brother for your personal revenge!"
Her delicate arm surged with terrifying strength, and Ebisyn, once so powerful, now gasped for air, his body writhing in desperate struggle. But there was a twisted, saintly smile on his face, a grin born of fanaticism.
"You damn bastard!"
With a deafening crack, Ebisyn was thrown violently to the ground. Gasping for breath, he clutched his throat, coughing violently.
"Why... don't... you... kill me?" His burning eyes locked on Bai Mao, filled with rage. "Why don't you kill me and lead the others to revenge?"
Bai Mao turned away, retreating into the shadows of the dungeon. Ebisyn's fists clenched against the bars, his voice now a furious roar.
"You, blessed by the gods, so strong, so capable of killing anyone in a single night—why don't you lead our people into battle for vengeance? You coward!"
From the depths of the darkness, Bai Mao's voice came cold and distant.
"Your people still need you. Lead them to survive."
"You coward!" Ebisyn shouted, his voice shaking with the raw emotion of a man pushed to the brink. "I'll show you! I don't need you to avenge us!"
The old wooden door slammed shut behind him, and silence descended once more upon the dark, suffocating cell.
For a long moment, there was only the quiet drip of water, until a single tear fell from Bai Mao's eye, landing on the cold stone. "Abel... my brother..." she whispered, the weight of her sorrow finally breaking through her stoic exterior.
Days later, a long procession made its way through the mountains. The clamor of mercenaries filled the air as they joked crudely, yet their sharp eyes were constantly scanning for danger. Behind them marched the disciplined white-armored soldiers, their spears gleaming in the sunlight. The knights rode tall steeds, praying for divine protection, while a caravan of supplies and servants trailed behind, guarded by a band of nomadic cavalry.
As the army approached, the ancient fortress of Liwa gradually became visible in the distance.
One mercenary, still laughing with his comrades, was suddenly struck by an arrow and fell without a sound.
"Enemy attack!" shouted a fellow mercenary as the camp erupted into chaos.
"Hoo-wee!" The mercenaries quickly unsheathed their weapons, forming a protective circle with their shields.
A sharp, shrill horn echoed through the valley, summoning the rear guard of cavalry. The nomads, grinning with cruel glee, hacked off another head and tossed it aside.
"Seems like another payday," one of them chuckled, wiping his blade clean.
In the midst of the confusion, General Aude, observing the fortress from the base of the mountain, scowled. "These mountain rats are delaying us again with their tricks."
"My lord, we are strong. A few losses will not harm us," the ever-optimistic Evered reassured, glancing over at Otto, who had ensured their water supply was safe.
"Indeed," Aude said with a grin. "Thanks to Otto, we need not worry about the enemy's distractions. Once we reach Liwa, we'll cleanse it, every last wretch inside."
The camp fell silent again as the soldiers prepared for their next move.
**---
The following morning, the camp came alive as soldiers gathered in formation, sharpening weapons and readying themselves for the final assault on Liwa. The march toward the castle began.
In the distance, Otto and Evered stood beneath the rising sun. Otto's eyes narrowed as he thought of the refugees, the ones the Knights had discarded.
"What will happen to those refugees?" Otto asked, his voice quiet but heavy.
"They're heathens, Otto," Evered replied with a grin, stoking the fire in front of them. "The Knights will either sell them as slaves or let them die. Not much we can do for them."
"I can't believe that," Otto muttered, shaking his head. "The Order is supposed to save the innocent."
Evered laughed, a cruel edge to his tone. "Innocence has its limits, my friend. These people have no place in our world."
Otto's eyes grew distant, thinking of his wife, but he said nothing more. He only hoped to atone for past sins.
"Could you buy some of them, Evered? There's a place for them on my estate."
"Mike Bai's estate?" Evered laughed heartily. "Of course, I'll help you out. Anything for a good cause."
Just then, the sky erupted in a brilliant explosion of colors as a signal rocket soared into the heavens.
"Ah, the Lord's work," Evered said, watching the fireworks with admiration. "Truly magnificent."
Otto smiled softly, but his thoughts lingered on the refugees, the innocents caught in the crossfire.
And so the siege continued, the great battle for Liwa Fortress just beginning...